1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastically deformable cotyloidal prosthesis comprising an acetabulum or a hollow hemispherical cap made of metal, composite or the like, which is stabilized in the bone by screws and a plastic insert which clips inside the cap.
2. History of the Related Art
Cotyloidal prostheses of this type are known, in which the outer wall of the hollow hemispherical cap has a series of expansion slots therein. These slots are made in the direction of the center of the cap and at least one of them opens out in a hole, eccentric or not, thus defining a part of cap in a plurality of segments. Such segmentation gives a certain suppleness to the hollow hemispherical cap and facilitates positioning thereof in the human acetabulum.
Such cotyloidal prostheses present certain drawbacks concerning the reduction of the inner diameter of the hollow hemispherical cap during positioning inside the cavity of the human acetabulum. In fact, the expansion slots give a certain suppleness to the cap, but reduce the inner diameter thereof, which renders difficult, and even impossible, in certain cases, the positioning of the plastic insert.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks.